I ended up here today. I decided I wasn't too good so went the other way! I had plotted my route today as 58miles, but after forgetting my helmet and going back for it and then going to Asda once I got back I added a bit more onto it. The way out I was battling the wind the whole way out and didn't feel like I was riding very well. The way back felt better but still slow. Turns out it wasn't too bad at all. Route had a lot less climbing than tuesdays route but I still felt the hills a lot!
I've really been struggling with motivation recently so today I told myself I was heading out early! Ideal would have been 7ish but I knew really the earliest I could go was when ali left for work - she doesn't like it if I leave first as she ends up faffing and being late! So I was dressed in bike kit and followed her out the door and was on the bike at 8:30am. I had planned a 45mile loop with a few hills in it. The hardest being the last climb of the day over from Rivington to Belmont. It was very misty once I got higher up. But I got back and remember how much I enjoy cycling! Now please send me some motivation for tomorrow!
Today Ali ran the Great North West Half Marathon in Blackpool. It's her first race of any distance and should be a good gauge of how her training was going. My job was to ride to various parts of the course and shout encouragement and pass her her energy drink.
Today I rode my first Audax. It was a 120km route from Rochdale. Once I rode there and back I worked out it would be 100miles, that would be my 2nd of the month. Just think this time last year I had never rode an imperial century! The plan was to meet a bunch of guys off cyclechat at the start so at 7:30am I headed out off to Rochdale, it was a little chilly but I was in less clothes than I have had to wear in a long time. I made good time and had time to relax at the start. Soon we were off, a group of five of us in total. The route started out with a general introduction before some hills, mainly steady climbs as oppose to short sharp steep stuff. Evetually we ended up in Waddington for a nice Cafe stop and to get our cards signed. Then it was back to Rochdale for out free pie! Then we headed off our seperate ways. A really good day and great value at £5 compared to what you pay to enter a sportive!
Last night we were lazing round watching tv - after my lazy day of not doing my planned training - when a fire engine went past, it turned down the side of the house and then along the back. Seeing as that seemed odd I ran upstairs, looking out the window I saw flames so we went out. They were gone when we got out, a car had caught fire and according to the kids gathered round there had been fireworks in it. The firemen at this point were trying to get into the garage next to the car, this seemed to be taking a while.
This time its not me with a new bike, but my friend kate. I went to meet her and her shiny new trek madone at Horwich and after a quick lesson in how to clip into the pedals and how to use the gears we were off. It was a bit wobbly at first but soon she was flying, I took her on one of my usual loops. Kate took no time to get used to her bike and I couldn't even see her going uphill. For a change I was faster than her downhill, she wasn't as confident as on her mountain bike. A quick stop at the Chapel cafe before back to the car and then I spun home.
In preparation I got drunk! Ali and I shared two bottles of wine, neither of us drink a lot so we were very drunk. But the second bottle probably saved me as I started worrying and drank two bottles of water before I went to bed and another through the night, I woke up feeling fine!
At the same time as getting my cross bike I got a new pair of trainers for running off-road in. I've had my old ones since 2000 = although I haven't ran for most of that time. I had £50 of free stuff to get with the bike and this was something I needed!
The ride was a nice mixture of road and off-road to Disley. There Jon took us up an extra hill looking for a cafe! We ended up in a pub which seems very posh, but had nice food.
A good start but I kinda ruined it by going the wrong way at a corner and watched about twenty people come past. It wasn't long before I was in a bit of a duel with another girl. We were swapping places, the cross bike faster in parts and her mtb in others. I got away on a climb that really suited the cross bike, almost tarmac. But I was aware there wasn't a big gap.
2nd to last lap and I went down a steep slope with no brakes, very scary, I worked out that the bar top levers pulled more cable though so I could stop with them, they just weren't as stable. Last lap after scaring myself I ran most of the downhills. The steps that lap felt huge and my bike was gettign heavy - I was glad it wasn't my trek I would have been barely able to lift it!!! The last lap the girl passed me just before a steep downhill, I ran it but couldn't see her at all. I pushed round the lovely dry fast singletrack but was beginning to think that was it! On the last climb I got her and took advantage of the cross bikes speed. Onto the finish straight it was head down and hope, I think she was 10seconds behind me with the girl in 3rd 10seconds behind her. A great race!!!
Went out on the cross bike today, well I need to learn how to ride it if I'm going to race on it on saturday! Worked out why they have bar top levers, they must pull more cable as I could stop on road using them! Did a loop I usually run and then extended it. It had everything, I tried running uphill with the bike on my shoulder and although the top tube being flat helps I think I need some padding. The other problem is any time I made up on flatter bits I lost going downhill at so slow a pace, too scared to do anything else since my brakes don't seem to stop me and there was ice and snow everywhere! Tomorrow I need to learn how to jump on and off the bike!
Slipping and sliding we made our way down onto Georges Lane just as the sun came out so we headed up onto the Pike. It was a little windy up there but nothing like saturday!
I decided that riding off the back had to be attempted, Ali went ahead to get pictures. At the top I tried going over the bars twice! But I got going and even stayed upright!
After that we dropped to Chapel Cafe for a well deserved lunch, on the tiny bit of road we did to get there I managed to go flying on the ice, I think I managed to land on every part of me but my head!
